title: Tenascin-C and tenascin-W in whisker follicle stem cell niches: possible roles in regulating stem cell proliferation and migration.
abstract: The whisker follicle has CD34-positive stem cells that migrate from their niche near the bulge along the glassy membrane to the whisker bulb, where they participate in the formation of the whisker shaft. Using immunohistochemistry, we found the glycoprotein tenascin-C in the fibrous capsule of mouse whisker follicles, along the glassy membrane and in the trabecular region surrounding keratin-15-negative, CD34-positive stem cells. The related glycoprotein tenascin-W is found in the CD34-positive stem cell niche, in nearby trabeculae and along the glassy membrane. Tenascin-W is also found in the neural stem cell niche of nearby hair follicles. The formation of stress fibers and focal adhesion complexes in CD34-positive whisker-derived stem cells cultured on fibronectin was inhibited by both tenascin-C and tenascin-W, which is consistent with a role for these glycoproteins in promoting the migration of these cells from the niche to the whisker bulb. Tenascin-C, but not tenascin-W, increased the proliferation of whisker follicle stem cells in vitro. Thus, the CD34-positive whisker follicle stem cell niche contains both tenascin-C and tenascin-W, and these glycoproteins might play a role in directing the migration and proliferation of these stem cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology and Human Anatomy, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
authors.forename: Richard P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Tucker
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ferralli
authors.forename: Johannes C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Schittny
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chiquet-Ehrismann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000235:genetics; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000235:genetics; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D018859:Hair Follicle / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D019063:Tenascin / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D014738:Vibrissae / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018952:Antigens, CD34; D019063:Tenascin; C477504:tenascin-N protein, mouse
keywords: CD34; Extracellular matrix; Fibronectin; Mouse; Vibrissa